Homage to My Hips

490 Words2 Pages
In the poem “Homage to my hips” Lucille Clifton uses diction and humor to send a message to women that they must be happy with themselves, use what they have to their advantage, and stand up to society pressures against women. In the poem Clifton talks about herself and her hips. She uses her hips to symbolize confidence, freedom and power in women. Clifton appears to be very strong, confident women in the poem. She does not care what people think of her and she is perfectly fine in her own skin. She starts of the poem describing her hips. “these hips are big hips they need space to move around in they don’t fit into little petty places these hips are free hips” (612). Clifton does not care what society thinks of her hips. She does not have the perfect size two body, yet she is perfectly comfortable in her own skin, just like many women should be. I believe Clifton is trying to say that women need more opportunity to grown, that they do not belong in petty little places. By saying that her hips are free she is saying that she is free, that nobody can tell her what to do. She is also speaking to women telling them they need to be free, and self-grow. Clifton is a very self dependant woman. She goes on to say that “these hips have never been enslaved. they go where they want to go. they do what they want to do” (612). Through this she is sending a powerful message to women about self-worth. It symbolizes freedom for women, and also enabling women to be the leader of their lives, and not to hold back or restraint. Clifton knows how powerful and influential women can be towards men. Clifton encourages women to use their power to obtain what they want or need. She says “these hips are mighty hips. these hips are magic hips. i have known them to put a spell on a man and spin him like a top!” (612). Clifton from experience it seems has used her sexuality to
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